My instructor introduced a new buddy. In the confined water we refreshed our memories and I felt better about the two dives we were about to undertake.

At the dive site near Sandy Island I had no qualms about falling backwards overboard as I knew what to expect.

Diver Penny - March 2007

We needed to show that we could ascend quickly and safely if we ran out of air. This is one of the mandatory skills for PADI Open Water Certification. We each descended with our instructor and at the given signal pretended that our air was finished, our buddy no where to be seen and we needed to reach the surface fast. Singing ‘Ahhhh’ into the regulator we finned swiftly to the surface. I could feel my lungs expanding while I ascended, as the pressure on them lessened and found it easier than I had imagined. I hope I never have to use this new skill!

After practising other out of air situations we submerged and looked about us. With the light filtering through from the surface it was lovely. I wished I could have brought my camera with me but cameras are not allowed on training dives. The many fishes with blue colouring fascinate me. In the shimmering light they are especially beautiful.

On the surface again I had to show I could get the BCD off and back on again.

The moment I had been dreading had arrived.

Well reader, I managed it. This time the equipment came off fairly smoothly, was not continually being washed away from me by the swell and I could keep it under control. I was very thankful when I completed the exercise to the satisfaction of my eagle-eyed instructor.

My biggest hurdle had been crossed.

When our ever cheerful instructor informed us that we were going to dive on a wreck next, we were surprised.

The Cathley H was scuppered in the 1980’s to form an artificial reef and lies in sixty feet of water off Sandy Island. My buddy and I had not dived so deep before but we found the thought of exploring a wreck really exciting.

We descended to a completely new world. Our instructor sighted a Barracuda watching us. My buddy had been looking forward to seeing one and she was really pleased to have her wish granted quickly.

When we were all on the bottom we had more skills to complete before we could have the fun of exploring the wreck. This time I did not float to the surface when I fin-pivoted!

We swam around the wreck peering through port holes. We saw a Spanish Lobster, or Sea Louse, dozing on deck. In the wheel house a shoal of fish swam in circles in the confined area.

All too soon it was time to surface. We had had fun. The deeper depth had not daunted us.

Back on land we went through compass drills, delighting the tourists lounging on the beach with our antics. After a brief overview on how to set and follow a compass we had towels thrown over our heads and we had to navigate to and from a set point with our instructor simulating currents by buffeting us as we walked. There was much giggling! My buddy and I must have looked a strange sight to our audience but we received a little cheer when we found ourselves back where we started.

In the water we took it in turns to snorkel in a set direction and back again. This was more difficult with real currents and little to orient ourselves to on the sandy bottom.

The next day was to be the last training dive and I awoke looking forward to the adventure.

We went to No Name Reef, off Sandy Island. The waves were a little larger than the day before but the water looked really inviting. My instructor, anxious to get some of the drills over so that we could have a little fun exploring, asked me to tow him from one end of the boat to the other as if he was a tired diver. Oh dear, he was heavy! I was very happy to reach the other end of the boat with my dead weight.

We all descended and had to hover for one minute to demonstrate our breathing control. My buddy gracefully hovered about five feet from the bottom while I alternately bounced about on the bottom or rocketed upwards to be caught by the fin and hauled down again by our instructor. I clearly did not have any control! We decided to explore a little before I tried again. We did a compass exercise, which, underwater with plants and coral to orientate against, was easy. Then it was hover time again. Well, it took ages and nearly all my air, but I managed an ungainly hover. Our instructor was jubilant. We had both passed everything and underwater hugs were the order of the day!

We were divers! Hurrah!

As we were awarded our diver’s cards I felt so happy! I had come within an inch of giving up the course and was very pleased I did not.

I am planning to build up my experience and learn more about the undersea life I encounter. My diving will be with my dive school; PADI certified, safe. I have heard of too many people, in particular visitors, who are blasé about safety, as if they know all and the local specialists, with their intimate knowledge of the dive sites, the currents and hazards are ignored. It is only a few weeks since a snorkeller drowned at Meads Bay because he would not listen to local advice about conditions. I want to dive with my son, a qualified diver, when he visits. Together we will explore the undersea world, marvelling at the wonders beneath the waves.

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